The 2014 Good News Year in Review

New Year’s is the perfect time to reflect on what the year has brought us, but all too often the focus is on the outrageous, the negative and the sensational.</br></br><em>Instead</em>, we’d like to take a look at some events that took place around the world that wowed us, gave us hope or made us laugh instead of making us feel blue. In no particular order, here are a few magical moments of 2014:</br></br><strong>1. Physics Wizards Land Spaceship on Comet</strong></br></br>In one of space exploration’s most historic moments, European scientists <a title="Space.com" href="http://www.space.com/27740-rosetta-comet-landing-success.html" target="_blank">parked the Rosetta spacecraft on a moving comet</a>. Okay, so maybe it was more of a skip and a bounce, but it arrived intact and we were treated to our first-ever images of a comet’s surface.</br></br><strong>2. Cuba, America Friends Again</strong></br></br>The decision to reignite relations with Cuba is a charged issue and one that generates much debate, but no one can deny it’s still amazing and has already had a positive impact in the <a title="NPR" href="http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2014/12/17/371453374/prisoner-exchange-with-cuba-led-to-freedom-for-top-u-s-spy" target="_blank">return of U.S. aid worker Alan Gross</a>, who spent nearly two decades in a Cuban prison.</br></br><strong>3. Cute New Mammal Discovered</strong></br></br>Thankfully, new species are always being discovered, but they’re more often tiny bugs, or fish found deep in ocean fissures. Not so with the olinguito, the first carnivorous mammal found in the Western Hemisphere in 35 years – <a title="Live Science" href="http://www.livescience.com/45798-images-top-10-species-2014.html" target="_blank">and a cute one, at that</a>.</br></br><strong>4. Germany Wins World Cup</strong></br></br>Many will feel this is no big deal, but 2014's World Cup <a title="CBS News" href="http://www.cbsnews.com/news/world-cup-2014-germany-vs-argentina-final/" target="_blank">broke many records</a> in the world’s most-watched sport. It was Germany’s first win since its reunification and the first time a European team won in the Americas. And, it’s only played every four years, which gives it a little added magic.</br></br><strong>5. Dog Breaks Tightrope-Walking Speed Record</strong></br></br>Last but not least, Ozzy, a border collie from Norwich, England, entered the Guinness Book of World Records for 2014 by walking an 11-foot tightrope in less than 20 seconds. If you don’t think that’s amazing and worthy of note, <a title="IB Times" href="http://www.ibtimes.com/ozzy-named-fastest-tightrope-walking-dog-guinness-book-world-records-2014-video-1405074" target="_blank">it’s just because you haven’t seen it</a>.</br></br>Of course, there's lots of good news out there. As with any year, 2014 had its ups and its downs, but we think it's important to end things on a happy note as we wish you the best in 2015 - Happy New Year, everyone!